document_title: Romeo Void

question_text: who sings the song i might like you better if we slept together

text: Romeo Void

text: 1979: Formation[edit]

text: Romeo Void formed at the San Francisco Art Institute in February 1979. Vocalist Debora Iyall occasionally visited the Bay Area to see Patti Smith perform.[2] She decided to pursue an art education after reading a fortune cookie. "It was in the late '70s at the Indochina Friendship Booth at the annual Fourth of July streetfair in Eureka, California," she said. "I got a fortune cookie that said 'Art is your fate, don't debate.' That next January, I was enrolled in an art school in San Francisco."[3] She began frequenting the Mabuhay Gardens, a popular nightclub, to see local alternative rock groups like The Nuns, the Mutants, Crime, and the Avengers.[2] She also formed the Mummers and Poppers, a punk parody band that covered 1960s tunes with guitarist Peter Woods, Charles Hagan and drummer Jay Derrah,   .[1][4] Iyall was originally hesitant to perform because she was overweight: "After seeing Patti Smith, I still had it in my mind that you had to be skinny to be up there [on stage], but after going to the Mabuhay [...] you just do whatever you want, be whoever you want, just make it happen."[2]

text: Bassist Frank Zincavage met Iyall at the SF Art Institute; the two hit it off and discussed putting a band together. They formed one with Woods and Derrah a few weeks later,[4] drawing inspiration from the "burgeoning local punk and post-punk scenes".[1] Iyall recruited Woods because she enjoyed playing with him in the Mommers and Poppers. "[It] seemed only natural that we invite Peter Woods to join us [... He] played clean and was a natural on rhythm guitar."[3] Romeo Void officially formed on Valentine's Day in 1979. According to Iyall, the name Romeo Void referred to "a lack of romance" and came to mind after they saw a local magazine with the headline "Why single women can't get laid in San Francisco."[1] The band practiced in Iyall's flat in Mission District.[3] It was decided that the group would embrace punk ideals despite the possibility that they become associated with the new wave movement. "Even though I was going to the [Mabuhay Gardens] so much, I also had criticisms: Everyone was leaning against the wall wearing black," Iyall said. "I guess we were considered new wave, but for me Romeo Void was a reaction against the regimentation of everyone having to be bleached blond and everything being about despair and no future, when I thought the do-it-yourself thing should encompass all the different kinds of emotions, and all the different colors. [...] I was proud of being American Indian, so I purposely never bleached my hair blond."[2]

text: 1980–1982: It's a Condition, Benefactor, and mainstream success[edit]

text: The band became busy playing shows at clubs and warehouses around San Francisco,[3] and quickly became popular.[2] Saxophonist Benjamin Bossi was added to the lineup as an "accident" when Iyall met him while he worked in a deli.[4] The group released their first single, "White Sweater", which consisted of the title track and a cover of Danish musician Jørgen Ingmann's popular instrumental composition "Apache", in February 1981 on a recently founded local label called 415 Records.[1] They worked on the recording of their debut album, It's a Condition, with producer David Kahne. Before recording began, Derrah left the band and was replaced by John "Stench" Hanes, who had previously played with Pearl Harbor and the Explosions.[1] Romeo Void's debut was critically acclaimed upon its release through 415 in July 1981,[1] and introduced Romeo Void's "unique blend of jazz, funk, rock and confrontational poetry".[5] Allmusic writer Stewart Mason later heralded it as one of the "masterpieces of American post-punk".[1] Indie labels were enthusiastic with promotions and the band embarked on several nationwide tours.[6] Eventually Haines left the band, leaving Larry Carter to fill the drummer position.[7]

text: The sudden surge in popularity was disorienting to Iyall. "It was frightening: we played a college in Santa Barbara, and there were all these blond people crowding the stage, and I thought 'These are the people who hated me in high school!' When you grow up being 'outside' – because I wasn't white, and I was fat, and always a bit of a free thinker – it was strange. It was like, 'uh-oh, I must be doing something wrong – they like me!'"[2] Highly successful mainstream artists like Ann Wilson and Ric Ocasek were eager to meet the band. Ocasek extended an invitation to collaborate at his Synchro Sound studio in Boston.[2] The recording sessions in Boston resulted in the Never Say Never EP in January 1982. The title track became (arguably) their best-known song and has remained synonymous with the band ever since. The song was also featured in the 1984 romantic teen drama Reckless. Additionally, the success of the single directly led to 415 Records signing a deal with Columbia Records, which elevated the indie label's roster to major-label status.[1] Romeo Void released their second album, entitled Benefactor, in November 1982.[8] The album appeared at No. 119 on the Billboard 200.[9] Benefactor was noticeably more commercial sounding than previous endeavors; the music was made more danceable and swearing was removed on the song "Never Say Never".[8] The different approach in the sound resulted in comparisons to Blondie,[7] which Allmusic writer William Ruhlmann suggested was a deliberate attempt by Columbia.[8] Iyall stated that there was more pressure to write sexually laced lyrics for Benefactor: "I do like to be provocative, and I definitely have access to my sexuality, and as a topic I find it ripe, but I wasn't ever going to be a sex-pot diva, so that was kind of odd." She also said there was pressure to produce more singles.[6]

text: 1983–present: Instincts, break-up, and post-band endeavors[edit]

text: A third and final album was again helmed by David Kahne, which Allmusic writer Stewart Mason speculated was a "reaction against the more commercial sound of Benefactor.[10] By this time, Carter had been replaced by veteran session drummer Aaron Smith.[7] Instincts was released in October 1984, debuted at No. 68 on the Billboard 200,[9] and proved to be the band's best-selling album.[10] It also launched their most successful single, "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," which broke the Billboard Top 40 and peaked at No. 35.[9] Critical reactions were positive.[11] Despite being the band's most successful effort to date, Columbia pulled the band's promotional support while on a nationwide tour. "The very next town we got to after they made that decision, there wasn't an A&R person there," said Iyall. "[There] was no local person there, there were no interviews and in-stores arranged as they had been. All that just ground to a halt." The band returned to San Francisco and soon broke up. Constant touring has been cited by Iyall as the primary reason for the break-up. "You get tired of each other, and you get intolerant of being uncomfortable and away from your family and your friends."[6] According to a VH1 reunion episode, the issue of Iyall's weight was the reason for the label dropping them.[6] In 2003, Iyall agreed with this claim: "Howie sold us from 415 to Columbia Records, and they were like 'Who's this fat chick?' They decided that was as far as it was going to get, and pulled their support."[2] Crawdaddy! writer Denise Sullivan stated that the label spoke to Iyall about losing weight, but she subsequently refused.[12] In 2010, Iyall declined to discuss the issue, but added that she may not be taking full responsibility in the matter.[6]

text: Iyall released a solo album entitled Strange Language with former band members Bossi and Smith in 1986.[13] Afterward she pursued a career as an art teacher.[1] The band reunited briefly for a live performance in 1993.[7] In 2004, Romeo Void was featured on an episode of VH1's Bands Reunited. Bossi had sustained too much hearing damage over the years and was unable to perform, although he did meet up with the band again and observed the reunion performance in an adjacent room.[14] Iyall has continued to dabble in music related projects and events. "I still like to sing and I still like to perform," she said.[6] In 2003 she was involved in a musical project called Knife in Water.[2] She began collaborating with Peter Dunne, who was known as Peter Bilt when he played guitar for Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Iyall and Dunne performed at a support benefit for Crawdaddy! founder Paul Williams in June 2009,[15] and performed at a concert honoring 415 Records later that September.[16] They released an album entitled Stay Strong in 2010.[12]

text: Music[edit]

text:
"Never Say Never"

The band's most popular song, "Never Say Never" exhibits a "sexy yet sneering and detached essence" in what has been hailed one of the greatest lines in rock history: "I might like you better if we slept together".[17]
"A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)"

"A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" was the group's highest-charting single. Allmusic called it "a smart, sexy, and spellbinding slice from one of the best and most creative and overlooked artists of the mid-'80s."[18]
Problems playing these files? See media help.

text: Romeo Void has generally been classified as a new wave[12][19] or post-punk band.[1][4][20] Some critics have noted dance elements in the music.[5][12][21] According to Stewart Mason, writing for Allmusic, "[The] band's muscular blend of Joy Division's atmospherics and the Gang of Four's rattling momentum, with Benjamin Bossi's splattering free jazz saxophone coloring everything, made Romeo Void one of the strongest of the American post-punk bands.[1] The St. Petersburg Times wrote that they "had no trouble creating a signature sound for [themselves with a] scratchy guitar, soulful sax, [and] tight, precise drums."[19] The New York Times stated that they sounded like "an art-school band, with its textural complexity [and] touches of jazz and funk"[22] Saxophone player Benjamin Bossi has been observed as the ingredient that "set the band apart" and showed a "talent for both improvisation and arrangement."[23] Alan Niester, writing for The Globe and Mail, said that he weaved "in and out [...] like a snake charmer" and reminded him of Andy Mackay, a saxophonist that played with Roxy Music.[20]

text: Liam Lacey, also writing for The Globe and Mail, described Iyall's voice as "sultry [and] sexy",[24] while Mason called it "powerful".[1] Her style has sometimes been compared to Chrissie Hynde, vocalist for the Pretenders.[23][24] Richard Harrington of The Washington Post acknowledged the similarity, but also noted the influence of other singers in "Never Say Never" where Iyall mixed the "aggressive bitchiness of [Hynde], the coy confrontational tactics of Patty Donahue of the Waitresses and the slack sensuality of Debbie Harry of the earliest Blondie."[25] Iyall used to find the comparison annoying, but eventually warmed to it: "When people said I sounded like her, I'd  say, 'Oh yeah, thanks a lot.' But this year, I've fallen in love with  Learning To Crawl so now I don't care if  people want to make comparisons."[24] After a live show in 1982,  Niester contended that she was the weakest part of the group and had the "vocal range of an automobile horn".[20] Billboard writer Kathy Gillis wrote after a concert two years later that Iyall exhibited a "dramatic range that, while not extreme in either direction, was touching."[11]

text: Patti Smith had a great influence on Iyall.[25] "[She was] someone who was both a rock singer and a poet," she said. "She combined things I was interested in. Plus, she wasn't a trumped-up sex symbol. She was herself on stage. That appealed to me. It looked like something I could do. You didn't have to look like all the other singers."[4] Iyall was highly critical of the music of the day and found inspiration in other mediums. "I hate rock and roll right now. It's turned into some new kind of stupid  religion... I'd rather listen to Billie Holiday, maybe Tom Waits.  Actually, I'll admit I like The Bangles – they have a great sound. But I'd just as soon read novels or paint pictures as listen to music. I love language – plain speech, used in an enigmatic, subliminal way; I'm not  much tied to the literal."[24]

text: Lyrics[edit]

text: Iyall was observed by Mother Jones to be among a new group of female fronted rock bands that displayed a "tough, wry, street-wise, [and] cynical" attitude and sought to redefine the role of women in rock music.[26] She developed a sizable following for her writing that covered topics like "frustrated desire [and] sexually motivated rage" from a female perspective.[22] Critics praised her lyrics for their "searing imagery",[1] "seething poetics",[12] and "[dark intelligence]"[5] "My approach was always that I had something to say, I had a point of view," Iyall said, commenting on her outspokeness. "I remember seeing Penelope from the Avengers at the Mabuhay Gardens and thinking, I can do that. I have something to say."[6]

text: Romeo Void's best known song is "Never Say Never", which contains the famous line "I might like you better if we slept together."[6] Allmusic writer Heather Phares has argued that Iyall's "teasing, existential musings [...] predated and predicted the aloof yet frank sexuality of early- and mid-'90s artists such as Elastica and Liz Phair". Phares concluded that the song was "a subversive, influential classic" and "one of new wave's most distinctive and innovative moments. "[17] The song has been covered by many artists,[12] among them are Queens of the Stone Age and Amanda Blank.[27][28] The song "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)", their highest-charting single,[9] was reportedly written as a response to Michael Jackson's hit song "Billie Jean", but can also be seen as a tribute to women who have experienced traumatizing events.[18] Iyall also wrote songs that touched on themes like social alienation ("Undercover Kept") and generation gaps ("Chinatown").[25]

text: Personnel[edit]

text:
Classic line-up

Debora Iyall – vocals (1979–1985, 1993, 2004)
Peter Woods – guitar (1979–1985, 1993, 2004)
Frank Zincavage – bass (1979–1985, 1993, 2004)
Benjamin Bossi – saxophone (1980–1985, 1993)
Aaron Smith – drums, percussion (1984–1985, 1993, 2004)

Previous members

Jay Derrah – drums, percussion (1979–1981)
John "Stench" Haines – drums, percussion (1981)
Larry Carter – drums, percussion (1981–1984)
Sheldon Brown – saxophone (2004)

text: Discography[edit]

text: Albums & EPs[edit]

text:
Year

Title

US

NZ

1981

It's a Condition (Studio)

-

46

1981

Never Say Never (EP)

147

-

1982

Benefactor (Studio)

119

-

1984

Instincts (Studio)

68

-

1992

Warm, in Your Coat (Compilation)

-

-

text: Singles[edit]

text:
Year

Title

US
Hot 100

US
Main

US
Dance

AUS

NZ

1981

"Myself to Myself / White Sweater"

-

-

31

-

-

1982

"Never Say Never"

-

27

17

-

18

1982

"Undercover Kept"

-

-

-

-

-

1984

"A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)"

35

17

11

74

27

1984

"Say No"

-

-

-

-

-


document_title: House sparrow

question_text: when were house sparrows introduced to north america

root

text: House sparrow

text: Description[edit]

text: Measurements and shape[edit]

text: The house sparrow is typically about 16 cm (6.3 in) long, ranging from 14 to 18 cm (5.5 to 7.1 in).[3] It is a compact bird with a full chest and a large, rounded head. Its bill is stout and conical with a culmen length of 1.1–1.5 cm (0.43–0.59 in), strongly built as an adaptation for eating seeds. Its tail is short, at 5.2–6.5 cm (2.0–2.6 in) long. The wing chord is 6.7–8.9 cm (2.6–3.5 in), and the tarsus is 1.6–2.5 cm (0.63–0.98 in).[4][5] In mass, the house sparrow ranges from 24 to 39.5 g (0.85 to 1.39 oz). Females usually are slightly smaller than males. The median mass on the European continent for both sexes is about 30 g (1.1 oz), and in more southerly subspecies is around 26 g (0.92 oz). Younger birds are smaller, males are larger during the winter, and females are larger during the breeding season.[6] Birds at higher latitudes, colder climates, and sometimes higher altitudes are larger (under Bergmann's rule), both between and within subspecies.[6][7][8][9]

tag: p

text: Plumage[edit]

text: The plumage of the house sparrow is mostly different shades of grey and brown. The sexes exhibit strong dimorphism: the female is mostly buffish above and below, while the male has boldly coloured head markings, a reddish back, and grey underparts.[8] The male has a dark grey crown from the top of its bill to its back, and chestnut brown flanking its crown on the sides of its head. It has black around its bill, on its throat, and on the spaces between its bill and eyes (lores). It has a small white stripe between the lores and crown and small white spots immediately behind the eyes (postoculars), with black patches below and above them. The underparts are pale grey or white, as are the cheeks, ear coverts, and stripes at the base of the head. The upper back and mantle are a warm brown, with broad black streaks, while the lower back, rump and uppertail coverts are greyish brown.[10]

text: The male is duller in fresh nonbreeding plumage, with whitish tips on many feathers. Wear and preening expose many of the bright brown and black markings, including most of the black throat and chest patch, called the "bib" or "badge".[10][11] The badge is variable in width and general size, and may signal social status or fitness. This hypothesis has led to a "veritable 'cottage industry'" of studies, which have only conclusively shown that patches increase in size with age.[12] The male's bill is black in the breeding season and horn (dark grey) during the rest of the year.[3]

text: The female has no black markings or grey crown. Its upperparts and head are brown with darker streaks around the mantle and a distinct pale supercilium. Its underparts are pale grey-brown. The female's bill is brownish-grey and becomes darker in breeding plumage approaching the black of the male's bill.[3][10]

text: Juveniles are similar to the adult female, but deeper brown below and paler above, with paler and less defined supercilia. Juveniles have broader buff feather edges, and tend to have looser, scruffier plumage, like moulting adults. Juvenile males tend to have darker throats and white postoculars like adult males, while juvenile females tend to have white throats. However, juveniles cannot be reliably sexed by plumage: some juvenile males lack any markings of the adult male, and some juvenile females have male features. The bills of young birds are light yellow to straw, paler than the female's bill. Immature males have paler versions of the adult male's markings, which can be very indistinct in fresh plumage. By their first breeding season, young birds generally are indistinguishable from other adults, though they may still be paler during their first year.[3][10]

text: Voice[edit]

text: Most house sparrow vocalisations are variations on its short and incessant chirping call. Transcribed as chirrup, tschilp, or philip, this note is made as a contact call by flocking or resting birds, or by males to proclaim nest ownership and invite pairing. In the breeding season, the male gives this call repetitively, with emphasis and speed, but not much rhythm, forming what is described either as a song or an "ecstatic call" similar to a song.[13][14] Young birds also give a true song, especially in captivity, a warbling similar to that of the European greenfinch.[15]

text: Aggressive males give a trilled version of their call, transcribed as "chur-chur-r-r-it-it-it-it". This call is also used by females in the breeding season, to establish dominance over males while displacing them to feed young or incubate eggs.[16] House sparrows give a nasal alarm call, the basic sound of which is transcribed as quer, and a shrill chree call in great distress.[17] Another vocalisation is the "appeasement call", a soft quee given to inhibit aggression, usually given between birds of a mated pair.[16] These vocalisations are not unique to the house sparrow, but are shared, with small variations, by all sparrows.[18]

text: Variation[edit]

text: Some variation is seen in the 12 subspecies of house sparrows, which are divided into two groups, the Oriental P. d. indicus group, and the Palaearctic P. d. domesticus group. Birds of the P. d. domesticus group have grey cheeks, while P. d. indicus group birds have white cheeks, as well as bright colouration on the crown, a smaller bill, and a longer black bib.[19] The subspecies P. d. tingitanus differs little from the nominate subspecies, except in the worn breeding plumage of the male, in which the head is speckled with black and underparts are paler.[20] P. d. balearoibericus is slightly paler than the nominate, but darker than P. d. bibilicus.[21] P. d. bibilicus is paler than most subspecies, but has the grey cheeks of P. d. domesticus group birds. The similar P. d. persicus is paler and smaller, and P. d. niloticus is nearly identical but smaller.[20] Of the less widespread P. d. indicus group subspecies, P. d. hyrcanus is larger than P. d. indicus, P. d. hufufae is paler, P. d. bactrianus is larger and paler, and P. d. parkini is larger and darker with more black on the breast than any other subspecies.[20][22][23]

text: Identification[edit]

text: The house sparrow can be confused with a number of other seed-eating birds, especially its relatives in the genus Passer. Many of these relatives are smaller, with an appearance that is neater or "cuter", as with the Dead Sea sparrow.[24] The dull-coloured female can often not be distinguished from other females, and is nearly identical to those of the Spanish and Italian sparrows.[10] The Eurasian tree sparrow is smaller and more slender with a chestnut crown and a black patch on each cheek.[25] The male Spanish sparrow and Italian sparrow are distinguished by their chestnut crowns. The Sind sparrow is very similar but smaller, with less black on the male's throat and a distinct pale supercilium on the female.[10]

text: Taxonomy and systematics[edit]

text: Names[edit]

text: The house sparrow was among the first animals to be given a scientific name in the modern system of biological classification, since it was described by Carl Linnaeus, in the 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It was described from a type specimen collected in Sweden, with the name Fringilla domestica.[26][27] Later, the genus name Fringilla came to be used only for the common chaffinch and its relatives, and the house sparrow has usually been placed in the genus Passer created by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760.[28][29]

text: The bird's scientific name and its usual English name have the same meaning. The Latin word passer, like the English word "sparrow", is a term for small active birds, coming from a root word referring to speed.[30][31] The Latin word domesticus means "belonging to the house", like the common name a reference to its association with humans.[32] The house sparrow is also called by a number of alternative English names, including English sparrow, chiefly in North America;[33][34] and Indian sparrow or Indian house sparrow, for the birds of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia.[35] Dialectal names include sparr, sparrer, spadger, spadgick, and philip, mainly in southern England; spug and spuggy, mainly in northern England; spur and sprig, mainly in Scotland;[36][37] and spatzie or spotsie, from the German Spatz, in North America.[38]

text: Taxonomy[edit]

text: The genus Passer contains about 25 species, depending on the authority, 26 according to the Handbook of the Birds of the World.[39] Most Passer species are dull-coloured birds with short, square tails and stubby, conical beaks, between 11 and 18 cm (4.3 and 7.1 in) long.[8][40] Mitochondrial DNA studies suggest that speciation in the genus occurred during the Pleistocene and earlier, while other evidence suggests speciation occurred 25,000 to 15,000 years ago.[41][42] Within Passer, the house sparrow is part of the "Palaearctic black-bibbed sparrows" group and a close relative of the Mediterranean "willow sparrows".[39][43]

text: The taxonomy of the house sparrow and its Mediterranean relatives is highly complicated. The common type of "willow sparrow" is the Spanish sparrow, which resembles the house sparrow in many respects.[44] It frequently prefers wetter habitats than the house sparrow, and it is often colonial and nomadic.[45] In most of the Mediterranean, one or both species occur, with some degree of hybridisation.[46] In North Africa, the two species hybridise extensively, forming highly variable mixed populations with a full range of characters from pure house sparrows to pure Spanish sparrows.[47][48][49]

text: In much of Italy, a form apparently intermediate between the house and Spanish sparrows, is known as the Italian sparrow. It resembles a hybrid between the two species, and is in other respects intermediate. Its specific status and origin are the subject of much debate.[48][50] In the Alps, the Italian sparrow intergrades over a roughly 20 km (12 mi) strip with the house sparrow,[51] but to the south it intergrades over the southern half of Italy and some Mediterranean islands with the Spanish sparrow.[48] On the Mediterranean islands of Malta, Gozo, Crete, Rhodes, and Karpathos, the other apparently intermediate birds are of unknown status.[48][52][53]

text: Subspecies[edit]

text: A large number of subspecies have been named, of which 12 were recognised in the Handbook of the Birds of the World. These subspecies are divided into two groups, the Palaearctic P. d. domesticus group, and the Oriental P. d. indicus group.[39] Several Middle Eastern subspecies, including P. d. biblicus, are sometimes considered a third, intermediate group. The subspecies P. d. indicus was described as a species, and was considered to be distinct by many ornithologists during the 19th century.[19]

text: Migratory birds of the subspecies P. d. bactrianus in the P. d. indicus group were recorded overlapping with P. d. domesticus birds without hybridising in the 1970s, so the Soviet scientists Edward I. Gavrilov and M. N. Korelov proposed the separation of the P. d. indicus group as a separate species.[28][54] However, P. d. indicus-group and P. d. domesticus-group birds intergrade in a large part of Iran, so this split is rarely recognised.[39]

text: In North America, house sparrow populations are more differentiated than those in Europe.[7] This variation follows predictable patterns, with birds at higher latitudes being larger and those in arid areas being paler.[8][55][56] However,  how much this is caused by evolution or by environment is not clear.[57][58][59][60] Similar observations have been made in New Zealand,[61] and in South Africa.[62] The introduced house sparrow populations may be distinct enough to merit subspecies status, especially in North America and southern Africa,[39] and American ornithologist Harry Church Oberholser even gave the subspecies name P. d. plecticus to the paler birds of western North America.[55]

text:
P. d. domesticus, the nominate subspecies, is found in most of Europe, across northern Asia to Sakhalin and Kamchatka. It is the most widely introduced subspecies.[26]
P. d. balearoibericus von Jordans, 1923, described from Majorca, is found in the Balearic Islands, southern France, the Balkans, and Anatolia.[39]
P. d. tingitanus (Loche, 1867), described from Algeria, is found in the Maghreb from Ajdabiya in Libya to Béni Abbès in Algeria, and to Morocco's Atlantic coast. It hybridises extensively with the Spanish sparrow, especially in the eastern part of its range.[63]
P. d. niloticus Nicoll and Bonhote, 1909, described from Faiyum, Egypt, is found along the Nile north of Wadi Halfa, Sudan. It intergrades with bibilicus in the Sinai, and with rufidorsalis in a narrow zone around Wadi Halfa. It has been recorded in Somaliland.[63][64]
P. d. persicus Zarudny and Kudashev, 1916, described from the Karun River in Khuzestan, Iran, is found in the western and central Iran south of the Alborz mountains, intergrading with indicus in eastern Iran, and Afghanistan.[39][63][65]
P. d. biblicus Hartert, 1910, described from Palestine, is found in the Middle East from Cyprus and south-eastern Turkey to the Sinai in the west and from Azerbaijan to Kuwait in the east.[39][63]

tag: ul

text:
P. d. hyrcanus Zarudny and Kudashev, 1916, described from Gorgan, Iran, is found along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea from Gorgan to south-eastern Azerbaijan. It intergrades with P. d. persicus in the Alborz mountains, and with P. d. bibilicus to the west. It is the subspecies with the smallest range.[39][63]
P. d. bactrianus Zarudny and Kudashev, 1916, described from Tashkent, is found in southern Kazakhstan to the Tian Shan and northern Iran and Afghanistan. It intergrades with persicus in Baluchistan and with indicus across central Afghanistan. Unlike most other house sparrow subspecies, it is almost entirely migratory, wintering in the plains of the northern Indian subcontinent. It is found in open country rather than in settlements, which are occupied by the Eurasian tree sparrow in its range.[39][63] There is an exceptional record from Sudan.[64]
P. d. parkini Whistler, 1920, described from Srinagar, Kashmir, is found in the western Himalayas from the Pamir Mountains to south-eastern Nepal. It is migratory, like P. d. bactrianus.[19][63]
P. d. indicus Jardine and Selby, 1831, described from Bangalore, is found in the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas, in Sri Lanka, western Southeast Asia, eastern Iran, south-western Arabia and southern Israel.[19][39][63]
P. d. hufufae Ticehurst and Cheeseman, 1924, described from Hofuf in Saudi Arabia, is found in north-eastern Arabia.[63][66]
P. d. rufidorsalis C. L. Brehm, 1855, described from Khartoum, Sudan, is found in the Nile valley from Wadi Halfa south to Renk in northern South Sudan,[63][64] and in eastern Sudan, northern Ethiopia to the Red Sea coast in Eritrea.[39] It has also been introduced to Mohéli in the Comoros.[67]

text: Distribution and habitat[edit]

text: The house sparrow originated in the Middle East and spread, along with agriculture, to most of Eurasia and parts of North Africa.[68] Since the mid-19th century, it has reached most of the world, chiefly due to deliberate introductions, but also through natural and shipborne dispersal.[69] Its introduced range encompasses most of North America, Central America, southern South America, southern Africa, part of West Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and islands throughout the world.[70] It has greatly extended its range in northern Eurasia since the 1850s,[71] and continues to do so, as was shown by the colonisations around 1990 of Iceland and Rishiri Island, Japan.[72] The extent of its range makes it the most widely distributed wild bird on the planet.[70]

text: Introductions[edit]

text: The house sparrow has become highly successful in most parts of the world where it has been introduced. This is mostly due to its early adaptation to living with humans, and its adaptability to a wide range of conditions.[73][74] Other factors may include its robust immune response, compared to the Eurasian tree sparrow.[75] Where introduced, it can extend its range quickly, sometimes at a rate over 230 km (140 mi) per year.[76] In many parts of the world, it has been characterised as a pest, and poses a threat to native birds.[77][78] A few introductions have died out or been of limited success, such as those to Greenland and Cape Verde.[79]

text: The first of many successful introductions to North America occurred when birds from England were released in New York City, in 1852 [80][81] to control the ravages of the linden moth.[82] The house sparrow now occurs from the Northwest Territories to southern Panama,[4] and it is one of the most abundant birds in North America.[77] The house sparrow was first introduced to Australia in 1863 at Melbourne and is common throughout the eastern part of the continent as far north as Cape York,[79] but has been prevented from establishing itself in Western Australia, where every house sparrow found in the state is killed.[83] House sparrows were introduced in New Zealand in 1859, and from there reached many of the Pacific islands, including Hawaii.[84]

text: In southern Africa, birds of both the European subspecies P. d. domesticus and the Indian subspecies P. d. indicus were introduced around 1900. Birds of P. d. domesticus ancestry are confined to a few towns, while P. d. indicus birds have spread rapidly, reaching Tanzania in the 1980s. Despite this success, native relatives such as the Cape sparrow also occur in towns, competing successfully with it.[79][85] In South America, it was first introduced near Buenos Aires around 1870, and quickly became common in most of the southern part of the continent. It now occurs almost continuously from Tierra del Fuego to the fringes of the Amazon basin, with isolated populations as far north as coastal Venezuela.[79][86][87]

text: Habitat[edit]

text: The house sparrow is closely associated with human habitation and cultivation.[88] It is not an obligate commensal of humans as some have suggested: Central Asian house sparrows usually breed away from humans in open country,[89] and birds elsewhere are occasionally found away from humans.[88][90][91] The only terrestrial habitats that the house sparrow does not inhabit are dense forest and tundra. Well adapted to living around humans, it frequently lives and even breeds indoors, especially in factories, warehouses, and zoos.[88] It has been recorded breeding in an English coal mine 640 m (2,100 ft) below ground,[92] and feeding on the Empire State Building's observation deck at night.[93] It reaches its greatest densities in urban centres, but its reproductive success is greater in suburbs, where insects are more abundant.[88][94] On a larger scale, it is most abundant in wheat-growing areas such as the Midwestern United States.[95]

text: It tolerates a variety of climates, but prefers drier conditions, especially in moist tropical climates.[79][88] It has several adaptations to dry areas, including a high salt tolerance[96] and an ability to survive without water by ingesting berries.[97] In most of eastern Asia, the house sparrow is entirely absent, replaced by the Eurasian tree sparrow.[98] Where these two species overlap, the house sparrow is usually more common than the Eurasian tree sparrow, but one species may replace the other in a manner that ornithologist Maud Doria Haviland described as "random, or even capricious".[99] In most of its range, the house sparrow is extremely common, despite some declines,[100] but in marginal habitats such as rainforest or mountain ranges, its distribution can be spotty.[88]

text: Behaviour[edit]

text: Social behaviour[edit]

text: The house sparrow is a very social bird. It is gregarious at all seasons when feeding, often forming flocks with other types of birds.[101] It roosts communally, its nests are usually grouped together in clumps, and it engages in social activities such as dust or water bathing and "social singing", in which birds call together in bushes.[102][103] The house sparrow feeds mostly on the ground, but it flocks in trees and bushes.[102] At feeding stations and nests, female house sparrows are dominant despite their smaller size, and in the reproductive period (usually spring or summer), being dominant, they can fight  for males.[104][105]

text: Sleep and roosting[edit]

text: House sparrows sleep with the bill tucked underneath the scapular feathers.[106] Outside of the reproductive season, they often roost communally in trees or shrubs. Much communal chirping occurs before and after the birds settle in the roost in the evening, as well as before the birds leave the roost in the morning.[102] Some congregating sites separate from the roost may be visited by the birds prior to settling in for the night.[107]

text: Body maintenance[edit]

text: Dust or water bathing is common and often occurs in groups. Anting is rare.[108] Head scratching is done with the leg over the drooped wing.[107]

text: Feeding[edit]

text: As an adult, the house sparrow mostly feeds on the seeds of grains and weeds, but it is opportunistic and adaptable, and eats whatever foods are available.[109] In towns and cities, it often scavenges for food in garbage containers and congregates in the outdoors of restaurants and other eating establishments to feed on leftover food and crumbs. It can perform complex tasks to obtain food, such as opening automatic doors to enter supermarkets,[110] clinging to hotel walls to watch vacationers on their balconies,[111] and nectar robbing kowhai flowers.[112] In common with many other birds, the house sparrow requires grit to digest the harder items in its diet. Grit can be either stone, often grains of masonry, or the shells of eggs or snails; oblong and rough grains are preferred.[113][114]

text: Several studies of the house sparrow in temperate agricultural areas have found the proportion of seeds in its diet to be about 90%.[109][115][116] It will eat almost any seeds, but where it has a choice, it prefers oats and wheat.[117] In urban areas, the house sparrow feeds largely on food provided directly or indirectly by humans, such as bread, though it prefers raw seeds.[116][118] The house sparrow also eats some plant matter besides seeds, including buds, berries, and fruits such as grapes and cherries.[97][116] In temperate areas, the house sparrow has an unusual habit of tearing flowers, especially yellow ones, in the spring.[119]

text: Animals form another important part of the house sparrow's diet, chiefly insects, of which beetles, caterpillars, dipteran flies, and aphids are especially important. Various noninsect arthropods are eaten, as are molluscs and crustaceans where available, earthworms, and even vertebrates such as lizards and frogs.[109] Young house sparrows are fed mostly on insects until about 15 days after hatching.[120] They are also given small quantities of seeds, spiders, and grit. In most places, grasshoppers and crickets are the most abundant foods of nestlings.[121] True bugs, ants, sawflies, and beetles are also important, but house sparrows take advantage of whatever foods are abundant to feed their young.[121][122][123] House sparrows have been observed stealing prey from other birds, including American robins.[4]

text: Locomotion[edit]

text: The house sparrow's flight is direct (not undulating) and flapping, averaging 45.5 km/h (28.3 mph) and about 15 wingbeats per second.[107][124] On the ground, the house sparrow typically hops rather than walks. It can swim when pressed to do so by pursuit from predators. Captive birds have been recorded diving and swimming short distances under water.[107]

text: Dispersal and migration[edit]

text: Most house sparrows do not move more than a few kilometres during their lifetimes. However, limited migration occurs in all regions. Some young birds disperse long distances, especially on coasts, and mountain birds move to lower elevations in winter.[102][125][126] Two subspecies, P. d. bactrianus and P. d. parkini, are predominantly migratory. Unlike the birds in sedentary populations that migrate, birds of migratory subspecies prepare for migration by putting on weight.[102]

text: Breeding[edit]

text: House sparrows can breed in the breeding season immediately following their hatching, and sometimes attempt to do so. Some birds breeding for the first time in tropical areas are only a few months old and still have juvenile plumage.[127] Birds breeding for the first time are rarely successful in raising young, and reproductive success increases with age, as older birds breed earlier in the breeding season, and fledge more young.[128] As the breeding season approaches, hormone releases trigger enormous increases in the size of the sexual organs and changes in day length lead males to start calling by nesting sites.[129][130] The timing of mating and egg-laying varies geographically, and between specific locations and years because a sufficient supply of insects is needed for egg formation and feeding nestlings.[131]

text: Males take up nesting sites before the breeding season, by frequently calling beside them. Unmated males start nest construction and call particularly frequently to attract females. When a female approaches a male during this period, the male displays by moving up and down while drooping and shivering his wings, pushing up his head, raising and spreading his tail, and showing his bib.[131] Males may try to mate with females while calling or displaying. In response, a female will adopt a threatening posture and attack a male before flying away, pursued by the male. The male displays in front of her, attracting other males, which also pursue and display to the female. This group display usually does not immediately result in copulations.[131] Other males usually do not copulate with the female.[132][133] Copulation is typically initiated by the female giving a soft dee-dee-dee call to the male. Birds of a pair copulate frequently until the female is laying eggs, and the male mounts the female repeatedly each time a pair mates.[131]

text: The house sparrow is monogamous, and typically mates for life. Birds from pairs often engage in extra-pair copulations, so about 15% of house sparrow fledglings are unrelated to their mother's mate.[134] Male house sparrows guard their mates carefully to avoid being cuckolded, and most extra-pair copulation occurs away from nest sites.[132][135] Males may sometimes have multiple mates, and bigamy is mostly limited by aggression between females.[136] Many birds do not find a nest and a mate, and instead may serve as helpers around the nest for mated pairs, a role which increases the chances of being chosen to replace a lost mate. Lost mates of both sexes can be replaced quickly during the breeding season.[132][137] The formation of a pair and the bond between the two birds is tied to the holding of a nest site, though paired house sparrows can recognise each other away from the nest.[131]

text: Nesting[edit]

text: Nest sites are varied, though cavities are preferred. Nests are most frequently built in the eaves and other crevices of houses. Holes in cliffs and banks, or tree hollows, are also used.[138][139] A sparrow sometimes excavates its own nests in sandy banks or rotten branches, but more frequently uses the nests of other birds such as those of swallows in banks and cliffs, and old tree cavity nests.[138] It usually uses deserted nests, though sometimes it usurps active ones.[138][140] Tree hollows are more commonly used in North America than in Europe,[138] putting the sparrows in competition with bluebirds and other North American cavity nesters, and thereby contributing to their population declines.[77]

text: Especially in warmer areas, the house sparrow may build its nests in the open, on the branches of trees, especially evergreens and hawthorns, or in the nests of large birds such as storks or magpies.[131][138][141] In open nesting sites, breeding success tends to be lower, since breeding begins late and the nest can easily be destroyed or damaged by storms.[138][142] Less common nesting sites include street lights and neon signs, favoured for their warmth; and the old open-topped nests of other songbirds, which are then domed over.[138][139]

text: The nest is usually domed, though it may lack a roof in enclosed sites.[138] It has an outer layer of stems and roots, a middle layer of dead grass and leaves, and a lining of feathers, as well as of paper and other soft materials.[139] Nests typically have external dimensions of 20 × 30 cm (8 × 12 in),[131] but their size varies greatly.[139] The building of the nest is initiated by the unmated male while displaying to females. The female assists in building, but is less active than the male.[138] Some nest building occurs throughout the year, especially after moult in autumn. In colder areas house sparrows build specially created roost nests, or roost in street lights, to avoid losing heat during the winter.[138][143] House sparrows do not hold territories, but they defend their nests aggressively against intruders of the same sex.[138]

text: House sparrows' nests support a wide range of scavenging insects, including nest flies such as Neottiophilum praestum, Protocalliphora blowflies,[144][145] and over 1,400 species of beetle.[146]

text: Eggs and young[edit]

text: Clutches usually comprise four or five eggs, though numbers from one to 10  have been recorded. At least two clutches are usually laid, and up to seven a year may be laid in the tropics or four a year in temperate latitudes. When fewer clutches are laid in a year, especially at higher latitudes, the number of eggs per clutch is greater. Central Asian house sparrows, which migrate and have only one clutch a year, average 6.5 eggs in a clutch. Clutch size is also affected by environmental and seasonal conditions, female age, and breeding density.[147][148]

text: Some intraspecific brood parasitism occurs, and instances of unusually large numbers of eggs in a nest may be the result of females laying eggs in the nests of their neighbours. Such foreign eggs are sometimes recognised and ejected by females.[147][149] The house sparrow is a victim of interspecific brood parasites, but only rarely, since it usually uses nests in holes too small for parasites to enter, and it feeds its young foods unsuitable for young parasites.[150][151] In turn, the house sparrow has once been recorded as a brood parasite of the American cliff swallow.[149][152]

text: The eggs are white, bluish white, or greenish white, spotted with brown or grey.[107] Subelliptical in shape,[8] they range from 20 to 22 mm (0.79 to 0.87 in) in length and 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 in) in width,[4] have an average mass of 2.9 g (0.10 oz),[153] and an average surface area of 9.18 cm2 (1.423 in2).[154] Eggs from the tropical subspecies are distinctly smaller.[155][156] Eggs begin to develop with the deposition of yolk in the ovary a few days before ovulation. In the day between ovulation and laying, egg white forms, followed by eggshell.[157] Eggs laid later in a clutch are larger, as are those laid by larger females, and egg size is hereditary. Eggs decrease slightly in size from laying to hatching.[158] The yolk comprises 25% of the egg, the egg white 68%, and the shell 7%. Eggs are watery, being 79% liquid, and otherwise mostly protein.[159]

text: The female develops a brood patch of bare skin and plays the main part in incubating the eggs. The male helps, but can only cover the eggs rather than truly incubate them. The female spends the night incubating during this period, while the male roosts near the nest.[147] Eggs hatch at the same time, after a short incubation period lasting 11–14 days, and exceptionally for as many as 17 or as few as 9.[8][131][160] The length of the incubation period decreases as ambient temperature increases later in the breeding season.[161]

text: Young house sparrows remain in the nest for 11 to 23 days, normally 14 to 16 days.[107][161][162] During this time, they are fed by both parents. As newly hatched house sparrows do not have sufficient insulation, they are brooded for a few days, or longer in cold conditions.[161][163] The parents swallow the droppings produced by the hatchlings during the first few days; later, the droppings are moved up to 20 m (66 ft) away from the nest.[163][164]

text: The chicks' eyes open after about four days and, at an age of about eight days, the young birds get their first down.[107][162] If both parents perish, the ensuing intensive begging sounds of the young often attract replacement parents which feed them until they can sustain themselves.[163][165] All the young in the nest leave it during the same period of a few hours. At this stage, they are normally able to fly. They start feeding themselves partly after one or two days, and sustain themselves completely after 7 to 10 days, 14 at the latest.[166]

text: Survival[edit]

text: In adult house sparrows, annual survival is 45–65%.[167] After fledging and leaving the care of their parents, young sparrows have a high mortality rate, which lessens as they grow older and more experienced. Only about 20–25% of birds hatched survive to their first breeding season.[168] The oldest known wild house sparrow lived for nearly two decades; it was found dead 19 years and 9 months after it was ringed in Denmark.[169] The oldest recorded captive house sparrow lived for 23 years.[170] The typical ratio of males to females in a population is uncertain due to problems in collecting data, but a very slight preponderance of males at all ages is usual.[171]

text: Predation[edit]

text: The house sparrow's main predators are cats and birds of prey, but many other animals prey on them, including corvids, squirrels,[172] and even humans—the house sparrow has been consumed in the past by people in many parts of the world, and it still is in parts of the Mediterranean.[173] Most species of birds of prey have been recorded preying on the house sparrow in places where records are extensive. Accipiters and the merlin in particular are major predators, though cats are likely to have a greater impact on house sparrow populations.[172] The house sparrow is also a common victim of roadkill; on European roads, it is the bird most frequently found dead.[174]

text: Parasites and disease[edit]

text: The house sparrow is host to a huge number of parasites and diseases, and the effect of most is unknown. Ornithologist Ted R. Anderson listed thousands, noting that his list was incomplete.[175] The commonly recorded bacterial pathogens of the house sparrow are often those common in humans, and include Salmonella and Escherichia coli.[176] Salmonella is common in the house sparrow, and a comprehensive study of house sparrow disease found it in 13% of sparrows tested. Salmonella epidemics in the spring and winter can kill large numbers of sparrows.[175] The house sparrow hosts avian pox and avian malaria, which it has spread to the native forest birds of Hawaii.[177] Many of the diseases hosted by the house sparrow are also present in humans and domestic animals, for which the house sparrow acts as a reservoir host.[178] Arboviruses such as the West Nile virus, which most commonly infect insects and mammals, survive winters in temperate areas by going dormant in birds such as the house sparrow.[175][179] A few records indicate disease extirpating house sparrow populations, especially from Scottish islands, but this seems to be rare.[180]

text: The house sparrow is infested by a number of external parasites, which usually cause little harm to adult sparrows. In Europe, the most common mite found on sparrows is Proctophyllodes, the most common ticks are Argas reflexus and Ixodes arboricola, and the most common flea on the house sparrow is Ceratophyllus gallinae. A number of chewing lice occupy different niches on the house sparrow's body. Menacanthus lice occur across the house sparrow's body, where they feed on blood and feathers, while Brueelia lice feed on feathers and Philopterus fringillae occurs on the head.[144]

text: Physiology[edit]

text: House sparrows express strong circadian rhythms of activity in the laboratory. They were among the first bird species to be seriously studied in terms of their circadian activity and photoperiodism, in part because of their availability and adaptability in captivity, but also because they can "find their way" and remain rhythmic in constant darkness.[181][182] Such studies have found that the pineal gland is a central part of the house sparrow's circadian system: removal of the pineal eliminates the circadian rhythm of activity,[183] and transplant of the pineal into another individual confers to this individual the rhythm phase of the donor bird.[184] The suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus have also been shown to be an important component of the circadian system of house sparrows.[185] The photoreceptors involved in the synchronisation of the circadian clock to the external light-dark cycle are located in the brain and can be stimulated by light reaching them directly though the skull, as revealed by experiments in which blind sparrows, which normally can still synchronise to the light-dark cycle, failed to do so once India ink was injected as a screen under the skin on top of their skulls.[186]

text: Similarly, even when blind, house sparrows continue to be photoperiodic, i.e. show reproductive development when the days are long, but not when the days are short. This response is stronger when the feathers on top of the head are plucked, and is eliminated when India ink is injected under the skin at the top of the head, showing that the photoreceptors involved in the photoperiodic response to day length are located inside the brain.[187]

text: House sparrows have also been used in studies of nonphotic entrainment (i.e. synchronisation to an external cycle other than light and dark): for example, in constant darkness, a situation in which the birds would normally reveal their endogenous, non-24-hour, "free-running" rhythms of activity, they instead show 24-hour periodicity if they are exposed to two hours of chirp playbacks every 24 hours, matching their daily activity onsets with the daily playback onsets.[188] House sparrows in constant dim light can also be entrained to a daily cycle based on the presence of food.[189] Finally, house sparrows in constant darkness can be entrained to a cycle of high and low temperature, but only if the difference between the two temperatures is large (38 versus 6 °C); some of the tested sparrows matched their activity to the warm phase, and others to the cold phase.[190]

text: Relationships with humans[edit]

text: The house sparrow is closely associated with humans. They are believed to have become associated with humans around 10,000 years ago. Subspecies P. d. bactrianus is least associated with humans and considered to be evolutionarily closer to the ancestral noncommensal populations.[191] Usually, it is regarded as a pest, since it consumes agricultural products and spreads disease to humans and their domestic animals.[192] Even birdwatchers often hold it in little regard because of its molestation of other birds.[77] In most of the world, the house sparrow is not protected by law. Attempts to control house sparrows include the trapping, poisoning, or shooting of adults; the destruction of their nests and eggs; or less directly, blocking nest holes and scaring off sparrows with noise, glue, or porcupine wire.[193] However, the house sparrow can be beneficial to humans, as well, especially by eating insect pests, and attempts at the large-scale control of the house sparrow have failed.[39]

text: The house sparrow has long been used as a food item. From around 1560 to at least the 19th century in northern Europe, earthenware "sparrow pots" were hung from eaves to attract nesting birds so  the young could be readily harvested. Wild birds were trapped in nets in large numbers, and sparrow pie was a traditional dish, thought, because of the association of sparrows with lechery, to have aphrodisiac properties. Sparrows were also trapped as food for falconers' birds and zoo animals. In the early part of the 20th century, sparrow clubs culled many millions of birds and eggs in an attempt to control numbers of this perceived pest, but with only a localised impact on numbers.[194] House sparrows have been kept as pets at many times in history, though they have no bright plumage or attractive songs, and raising them is difficult.[195]

text: Status[edit]

text: The house sparrow has an extremely large range and population, and is not seriously threatened by human activities, so it is assessed as least concern for conservation on the IUCN Red List.[1] However, populations have been declining in many parts of the world.[196][197][198] These declines were first noticed in North America, where they were initially attributed to the spread of the house finch, but have been most severe in Western Europe.[199][200] Declines have not been universal, as no serious declines have been reported from Eastern Europe, but have even occurred in Australia, where the house sparrow was introduced recently.[201]

text: In Great Britain, populations peaked in the early 1970s,[202] but have since declined by 68% overall,[203] and about 90% in some regions.[204][205] In London, the house sparrow almost disappeared from the central city.[204] The numbers of house sparrows in the Netherlands have dropped in half since the 1980s,[94] so the house sparrow is even considered an endangered species.[206] This status came to widespread attention after a female house sparrow, referred to as the "Dominomus", was killed after knocking down dominoes arranged as part of an attempt to set a world record.[207] These declines are not unprecedented, as similar reductions in population occurred when the internal combustion engine replaced horses in the 1920s and a major source of food in the form of grain spillage was lost.[208][209]

text: Various causes for the dramatic decreases in population have been proposed, including predation, in particular by Eurasian sparrowhawks;[210][211][212] electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones;[213] and diseases.[214] A shortage of nesting sites caused by changes in urban building design is probably a factor, and conservation organisations have encouraged the use of special nest boxes for sparrows.[214][215][216][217] A primary cause of the decline seems to be an insufficient supply of insect food for nestling sparrows.[214][218] Declines in insect populations result from an increase of monoculture crops, the heavy use of pesticides,[219][220][221] the replacement of native plants in cities with introduced plants and parking areas,[222][223] and possibly the introduction of unleaded petrol, which produces toxic compounds such as methyl nitrite.[224]

text:
Protecting insect habitats on farms,[225][226] and planting native plants in cities benefit the house sparrow, as does establishing urban green spaces.[227][228] To raise awareness of threats to the house sparrow, World Sparrow Day has been celebrated on 20 March across the world since 2010.[229]
Over the recent years, the house sparrow population has been on the decline in many Asian countries, and this decline is quite evident in India. To promote the conservation of these birds, in 2012, the house sparrow was declared as the state bird of Delhi.[230]

text: Cultural associations[edit]

text: To many people across the world, the house sparrow is the most familiar wild animal and, because of its association with humans and familiarity, it is frequently used to represent the common and vulgar, or the lewd.[231] One of the reasons for the introduction of house sparrows throughout the world was their association with the European homeland of many immigrants.[81] Birds usually described later as sparrows are referred to in many works of ancient literature and religious texts in Europe and western Asia. These references may not always refer specifically to the house sparrow, or even to small, seed-eating birds, but later writers who were inspired by these texts often had the house sparrow in mind.[39][231][232] In particular, sparrows were associated by the ancient Greeks with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, due to their perceived lustfulness, an association echoed by later writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare.[39][195][231][233] Jesus's use of "sparrows" as an example of divine providence in the Gospel of Matthew[234] also inspired later references, such as that in Shakespeare's Hamlet[231] and the Gospel hymn His Eye Is on the Sparrow.[235]

tag: table


document_title: List of most streamed songs on Spotify

question_text: who is most listened to on spotify 2017

question_tokens: who is most listened to on spotify 2017

text: List of most streamed songs on Spotify

text: This list of most streamed songs on Spotify contains the top 50 songs with the most streams of all time, as derived from Spotify charts.[1]

text: As of July 2017, four songs have exceeded 1 billion streams, with Drake's "One Dance" (featuring WizKid and Kyla) ranked in the top position.[2] One factor for the streaming popularity of "One Dance" may be its lack of a music video, pushing listeners to streaming services rather than free platforms such as YouTube.[3]

text: Prior to February 2014, Spotify's most streamed song was "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons;[4] it was overtaken by Avicii's "Wake Me Up", which became the first song to hit 200 million streams on February 27, 2014.[5] "Wake Me Up" held the streaming record for over a year before being surpassed on May 22, 2015 by Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud",[6] which became the first song to hit 500 million streams on October 12, 2015.[7] A month later, however, it was surpassed by Major Lazer and DJ Snake's "Lean On", featuring MØ,[8] which held the streaming record for 11 months until "One Dance" overtook it on October 15, 2016.[9]

text: As of July 2017, the artists with the most singles in the top 50 are Justin Bieber, with a total of 7 singles (3 solo and 4 featured), and Drake, Major Lazer, Ed Sheeran, and The Weeknd each with 3 singles.

text: The fastest song to reach a billion streams on Spotify is Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You", doing so in 153 days.[10]

text: Top songs[edit]

text: The following table lists the top 50 most streamed songs on Spotify, with each total rounded to the nearest million streams, as well as the artist(s), the album it is currently published to Spotify on, and the date it was originally published to Spotify.

text:
Rank
Song name
Artist(s)
Album
Streams
(millions)
Publication date
Notes

1.
"One Dance"[11]
Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla
Views [12]
1312
April 5, 2016
[A]

2.
"Shape of You"[13]
Ed Sheeran
÷ (Deluxe) [14]
1299
January 6, 2017
[B]

3.
"Closer"[16]
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
Collage EP [17]
1109
July 29, 2016
[C]

4.
"Lean On"[20]
Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ
Peace Is the Mission [21]
1032
March 2, 2015
[D]

5.
"Sorry"[22]
Justin Bieber
Purpose (Deluxe) [23]
971
October 23, 2015
[E]

6.
"Thinking Out Loud"[24]
Ed Sheeran
× (Deluxe Edition) [25]
937
June 21, 2014

7.
"Love Yourself"[26]
Justin Bieber
Purpose (Deluxe) [23]
937
November 9, 2015

8.
"Don't Let Me Down"[27]
The Chainsmokers featuring Daya
Collage EP [17]
908
February 5, 2016
[F]

9.
"I Took a Pill in Ibiza (Seeb Remix)"[29]
Mike Posner
At Night, Alone. [30]
906
July 24, 2015

10.
"What Do You Mean?"[31]
Justin Bieber
Purpose (Deluxe) [23]
852
August 28, 2015

11.
"Let Me Love You"[32]
DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber
Encore [33]
828
August 5, 2016

12.
"Despacito (Remix)"[34]
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber
Despacito [35]
828
April 17, 2017

13.
"Cold Water"[36]
Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ
Cold Water [37]
820
July 21, 2016

14.
"Starboy"[38]
The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
Starboy [39]
817
September 22, 2016

15.
"Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)"[40]
OMI
Me 4 U [41]
785
December 2, 2014
[G]

16.
"Cheap Thrills"[43]
Sia
This Is Acting [44]
781
December 17, 2015
[H]

17.
"Uptown Funk"[46]
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Uptown Special [47]
759
November 10, 2014

18.
"Stressed Out"[48]
Twenty One Pilots
Blurryface [49]
756
November 10, 2015
[I]

19.
"7 Years"[51]
Lukas Graham
Lukas Graham [52]
751
September 18, 2015

20.
"Can't Feel My Face"[53]
The Weeknd
Beauty Behind the Madness [54]
739
June 8, 2015

21.
"Hello"[55]
Adele
25 [56]
736
October 23, 2015
[J]

22.
"Stitches"[58]
Shawn Mendes
Handwritten [59]
736
May 5, 2015

23.
"This Is What You Came For"[60]
Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna
This Is What You Came For [61]
734
April 29, 2016

24.
"Photograph"[62]
Ed Sheeran
× (Deluxe Edition) [25]
729
June 21, 2014

25.
"Work from Home"[63]
Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign
7/27 (Deluxe) [64]
722
February 26, 2016

26.
"Work"[65]
Rihanna featuring Drake
ANTI (Deluxe) [66]
715
January 27, 2016

27.
"Faded"[67]
Alan Walker
Faded [68]
713
December 3, 2015

28.
"Take Me to Church"[69]
Hozier
Hozier [70]
708
September 13, 2013
[K]

29.
"Can't Stop the Feeling!"[72]
Justin Timberlake
TROLLS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [73]
686
May 6, 2016
[L]

30.
"See You Again"[75]
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [76]
686
March 10, 2015
[M]

31.
"Light It Up (Remix)"[78]
Major Lazer featuring Nyla and Fuse ODG
Peace Is the Mission (Extended) [79]
672
November 5, 2015

32.
"Where Are Ü Now"[80]
Jack Ü with Justin Bieber
Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü [81]
667
February 27, 2015

33.
"Treat You Better"[82]
Shawn Mendes
Illuminate (Deluxe) [83]
662
June 3, 2016

34.
"Despacito"[84]
Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee
Despacito [35]
659
January 13, 2017

35.
"Stay with Me"[85]
Sam Smith
In the Lonely Hour [86]
657
April 14, 2014

36.
"Hotline Bling"[87]
Drake
Views [12]
653
July 31, 2015
[N]

37.
"Heathens"[89]
Twenty One Pilots
Suicide Squad: The Album [90]
648
June 16, 2016

38.
"Panda"[91]
Desiigner
New English [92]
641
February 22, 2016
[O]

39.
"Me, Myself & I"[94]
G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha
When It's Dark Out [95]
635
October 14, 2015
[P]

40.
"Chandelier"[97]
Sia
1000 Forms of Fear [98]
633
March 17, 2014
[Q]

41.
"Say You Won't Let Go"[100]
James Arthur
Back from the Edge [101]
633
September 9, 2016

42.
"Let Her Go"[102]
Passenger
All the Little Lights [103]
630
July 24, 2012
[R]

43.
"All of Me"[105]
John Legend
Love in the Future [106]
626
August 12, 2013
[S]

44.
"Sugar"[108][109]
Maroon 5
V [110]
624
August 29, 2014
[T]

45.
"The Hills"[112]
The Weeknd
Beauty Behind the Madness [54]
624
May 27, 2015

46.
"Radioactive"[113]
Imagine Dragons
Night Visions [114]
622
September 4, 2012

47.
"Lush Life"[115]
Zara Larsson
So Good [116]
619
June 5, 2015
[U]

48.
"Love Me Like You Do"[118]
Ellie Goulding
Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [119]
609
January 7, 2015

49.
"Rockabye"[120]
Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie
Rockabye [121]
604
October 21, 2016

50.
"Cake by the Ocean"[122]
DNCE
DNCE [123]
600
September 18, 2015
[V]

As of September 15, 2017

text: Historical most streamed Spotify songs[edit]

text: The following table lists the last 5 songs to become Spotify's most streamed song, from 2013 to the present.

text:
Song name
Publisher**
Streams*
Publication date
Date achieved
Days held
Ref(s)
Notes

"One Dance"[11]
Drake
1,311,000,000
May 6, 2016
October 15, 2016
335
[9]

"Lean On"[20]
Major Lazer
526,000,000
June 1, 2015
November 11, 2015
339
[8]

"Thinking Out Loud"[24]
Ed Sheeran
355,000,000
June 21, 2014
May 22, 2015
173
[6]

"Wake Me Up"[124]
Avicii
178,000,000
July 30, 2013
January 2014
480+
[4][5]
[W]

"Radioactive"[113]
Imagine Dragons
–
January 1, 2012
2013
–
[4]
[X]

As of September 15, 2017

text: **The artist or group whose Spotify page the song was published on.

text: The approximate number of streams each song had when it became Spotify's most streamed song.


document_title: List of This Is Us characters

question_text: who plays high school kate in this is us

question_tokens: who plays high school kate in this is us

text: List of This Is Us characters

text: Main characters[edit]

text: Family tree[edit]

text: The characters in green have regular roles on the show. Dotted lines indicate a parental relationship through adoption, and dashed lines indicate either divorced, or widowed (or similarly separated), characters.

text:
Jack Pearson

Rebecca Pearson

Miguel Rivas

William Hill

Laurel

Sophie

Kevin Pearson

Kate Pearson

Toby Damon

Randall Pearson

Beth Pearson

Tess Pearson

Annie Pearson

Déjà

text: Jack Pearson[edit]

text: Jack Pearson (August 31, 1944 – January 26, 1998),[2][3] portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, was Rebecca's first husband (until he died), and the father of Kevin, Kate, and Randall.[4] Jack had a brother named Nick.[5]

text: Jack had a rough childhood because of his abusive, alcoholic father Stanley Pearson, causing them to have a strained relationship. Stanley did not know that Jack was married, so when Jack found out that he and Rebecca were expecting triplets, he went to his father asking for money, citing gambling debts, rather than telling him that he intended to buy a house for his family.[6] When Stanley was in the nursing home dying, he met Rebecca and his granddaughter Kate for the first time. Jack was camping with Kevin and Randall when Rebecca contacted him about his father dying, but Jack refused to see him.[5]

text: Jack was drafted into the Army at age 25; he served in the Vietnam War as a mechanic.[7][8] He served along with his brother Nick, who died in the war.[5][9] (After Jack took Randall to Washington, D.C. on a college tour to Howard University, he took Randall to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and told him about being drafted and how the war affected him; this may have been the first time that Jack shared about his Vietnam experiences to a member of the Pearson family—including Rebecca.)[8][10]

text: After serving in the war, and working as a manual laborer, Jack became a construction foreman. When he wanted to buy the house for his family, he approached his boss and got a raise to $17,000 a year (equivalent to more than $49,000 in 2016), making him the highest paid foreman at the company.[6] He dreamed of opening his own firm, "Big Three Homes", but put his dreams on hold in order to provide a steady income for his children by getting a desk job.[11] However, he later decided to start the business, though the Big Three were about to start college.[12]

text: Two of the triplets (the third triplet was stillborn) and Randall (who was left at a fire station) were all born on Jack's 36th birthday.[4] Jack always wanted to find out who Randall's biological father was, and never knew that Rebecca had found him.[13]

text: Jack struggled with alcoholism while the children were young, but he stopped drinking to focus more on his family.[14] (Sometimes he'd vent his anger on a punching bag to avoid drinking after a tough day.)[15] However, he relapsed into alcoholism when he had a drink after a disagreement and argument with his wife, who wanted to go on tour with a band with a member she'd once dated.[16] His drinking continued for some time until he decided to deal with the problem by attending AA meetings.[15] His sobriety and AA work continued for at least 6 months.[8]

text: Jack died when his children were 17,[2] and Kate keeps his ashes with her.[17][18] On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack, Rebecca, Kate, and Randall go to bed for the night (Kevin was at a party with his girlfriend Sophie). [19] Previously, a smoke alarm was shown to be missing batteries, and thus be inoperable.[12] An old slow cooker given years previous by a neighbor was shown to have a faulty switch, which sparked and flamed, setting a towel and the house ablaze.

text: Jack saved Kate and Randall from the fire by guiding them to his and Rebecca's bedroom. He then hoisted them down from the first story roof. Kate was worried about her dog, so Jack went back inside and got the dog and other family pictures. Jack was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, which caused stress on his heart and eventually caused fatal cardiac arrest.[20]

text: Rebecca Pearson[edit]

text: Rebecca Pearson née Malone (born 1950 or 1951), portrayed by Mandy Moore, is Jack's widow, Miguel Rivas' second wife (after Jack died), and the mother of Kevin, Kate, and Randall.[4]

text: She strives to be a better mother to her children,[21] and has issues with Jack's alcoholism.[14] She has always known that William is Randall's father, but kept them apart as she was afraid that he would try to take Randall back.[13]

text: Rebecca always wanted to be a singer, but gave up on her dreams in order to focus on her family.[22] In the mid 1990s, she had a chance to become a singer again by joining a band with her ex-boyfriend. Jack was upset after finding out about their history, which caused a rift between Rebecca and Jack.[16]

text: When the house caught fire and Jack suffered smoke inhalation, at the hospital, since Jack appeared to be fine, Rebecca was making reservations for hotel rooms—unaware that Jack was coding and staff was rushing to him. After making reservations, Rebecca got a candy bar for her and Jack. Rebecca turned around and the doctor explained the cause of Jack's cardiac arrest. In shock, Rebecca took a bite of the candy bar, refusing to believe Jack was dead. She goes to his room to tell him what the doctor said, only to see him lifeless. She immediately shuts down upon seeing him dead. She then drives to Miguel's and tells him the news, then goes in to talk to Kate and Randall. [3]

text: Since she was out of Jack's room when he died, Rebecca got the Pearsons to the funeral early, because she wanted to be present when the urn with Jack's ashes was brought out. After Jack's funeral, Dr. K let Rebecca know that she had always been strong. This encouragement gave her the strength to let Kevin and Randall know that neither of them needed to be "the man of the house", since they were teenagers and should be dating, and to tell Kate not to blame herself for Jack's death because Jack made his own decisions. She also got the courage to drive across a bridge she had feared, while taking the "Big Three" to a Bruce Springsteen concert that Jack had previously obtained tickets for the night of the funeral.[9]

text: At least 10 years after Jack's death, Rebecca posted pictures of Tess, her first grandchild, on Facebook, then got a message from Jack's best friend, Miguel Rivas.[23] Rebecca later married Miguel.[14]

text: Kevin Pearson[edit]

text: Kevin Pearson (born August 31, 1980), portrayed by Justin Hartley (current day), Logan Shroyer (age 15—17), and Parker Bates (ages 8—10), is Jack and Rebecca's son, and Kate and Randall's brother.[4] He is "Number One" of the "Big Three", being the first of the surviving triplets to be born.[4]

text: Shortly before his tenth birthday, Kevin became attracted to Kate's best friend, Sophie, whom he married when they were older. Kevin and Sophie decided that she would stay in New York and he would move to California to pursue acting, believing that their marriage could handle the distance. Kevin and Sophie later divorced, 12 years prior to season 1, due to the distance and Kevin cheating on her.[18][24]

text: Kevin has always struggled with worrying about what people think of him, which caused him to have a strained relationship with Randall as they grew up.[14] Kevin was visibly envious of Randall, who had always excelled in everything and received more attention from their parents, but he didn't realize that Randall has longed for the same attention from him. In high school he played football, as a quarterback, wearing number twelve one year and number one the next[22][25] (His number one jersey was on display with Kevin's trophies when he visited the high school at age 37, for an alumni celebration.)[25] His goal of a football career ended when his knee was injured from a tackle during a game.[25]

text: Kevin was an actor in Los Angeles, starring as the lead on a long-running sitcom called The Manny, a sitcom in the tradition of Who's the Boss and The Nanny. He abruptly quit that show on his 36th birthday, criticizing the script quality, the producer's reluctance to add nuance to the show, and the audience.[4] After quitting his job, Kevin decided to move to New York to pursue a career as a serious stage actor on Broadway.[26] Upon arriving in New York, he got hired as the lead role, David, in Back of an Egg, opposite a cynical actress named Olivia Maine (who thought Kevin did not have the ability, but that Kevin was hired because his being "The Manny" would sell tickets).[26]

text: When Kevin had trouble connecting with the emotions needed for his role, he began spending time with Olivia, who tried to get him to connect with his feelings.[11] Kevin and Olivia briefly dated, but broke up after she brought her ex-boyfriend to the Pearson family cabin.[13] After his breakup with Olivia, Kevin began dating the writer of the play, Sloane Sandburg, attending Hanukkah with her family and inviting her to the Christmas Eve party at Randall's house.[27]

text: Sloane took over as the lead of the play when Olivia disappeared and the play was at risk. Kevin decided to self-fund the performance, in order to save it.[6] After Kevin and Sloane broke up, he reconnected with Sophie and began a relationship with her again.[18][28]

text: Director Ron Howard saw Kevin's play and had him cast in a war movie.[28] Kevin had trouble with his lines when he could not focus after, when Kate (visiting the set) talked with costar Sylvester Stallone about her dad, Stallone talked to Kevin about his dad. Kevin also reinjured his knee (an old football injury) during an explosion on the set.[29]

text: As a result of the injury, Kevin became addicted to pain medication and alcohol, and allowed his relationship with Sophie to deteriorate by telling her that he saw a future with her as a nightmare, although he failed to specify that this was due to his alcoholism and drug addition.[30] One day after a brief visit with Randall, Kevin was speeding down a road, unaware that Tess was hiding in the back seat; Kevin was pulled over and charged with DUI, and Randall and Beth became angry with Kevin for endangering Tess.[8] The judge ordered Kevin to go to rehab.[2]

text: As part of Kevin's ongoing efforts to rehabilitate, he was determined to make amends with everyone. He settled things with his mom (who was hurt during the rehab family session, tearfully revealing that Kevin was the first to leave after Jack's death.)[6] Kevin found out from Miguel that the thought of his being in love with Rebecca never crossed his mind while Jack was alive, and Miguel reassured him that he loved Rebecca now and was not going anywhere.[12] When Kevin attempted to make things right with Sophie, she told him to not say anything and to just leave her with the memories of how he was at 10, or 17, or when their marriage was good.[31] Kevin reconciled with Randall by helping him fix up the apartment building William lived in, and the two shared with each other how odd it felt that they could outlive their dad.[31] On Super Bowl Sunday, about 20 years after Jack's death, Kevin visited the memorial tree with some of his dad's ashes, to talk with him, vowing to make him proud.[3] (Kevin was at a party with Sophie when the house caught fire.)[31][3]

text: Kate Pearson[edit]

text: Kate Emily Pearson (born August 31, 1980), portrayed by Chrissy Metz (current day), Hannah Zeile (age 15—17), and Mackenzie Hancsicsak (ages 8—10), is Jack and Rebecca's daughter, and Kevin and Randall's sister.[4] She is "Number Two" of the "Big Three", being the second and last of the surviving triplets to be born.[4]

text: Kate is obese and has struggled with issues of self-esteem her entire life, which she greatly attributes to her strained relationship with her mother and the death of her father.[4][28] Her relationship with her mother led to depression, for which she later took Prozac. She discontinued taking this drug due to the side effect of weight gain.[27]

text: Kate lives in Los Angeles and was her brother, Kevin's, personal assistant.[32] When Kevin decided to move to New York, he fired her in order to allow her to build her own life, apart from him.[26] She is an ardent Pittsburgh Steelers fan and has a routine where she watches the games with her dad's ashes.[17] At nine years old, she had her appendix removed on Christmas Eve.[27]

text: Kate decided to join a weight-loss support group, where she met Toby. Despite saying that she was not going to get involved with a fat person, she fell for Toby.[4] When Toby decided to not continue with his diet, Kate broke up with him and decided to go to Randall's for Thanksgiving. During a turbulent plane ride to New Jersey, Kate had an epiphany and decided to have gastric bypass surgery.[33] After consulting with a doctor, she instead decided to enter a fat camp to attempt to lose the weight without surgery.[18] When Toby surprised Kate by showing up at Randall's house for Christmas, he told her that he can live without pizza and junk food, but that he cannot live without her.[27] Toby collapsed from a heart attack, and was taken to the hospital.

text: After Toby's heart surgery, Kate and Toby decided to get engaged.[6] Kate later found out she was pregnant.[34] Kate and Toby announced their pregnancy to Kevin, and planned to get married at city hall, but then considered a big wedding.[30] But Kate lost the baby in a miscarriage.[35] Despite some struggle in their relationship after the miscarriage, Toby eventually came through for Kate.[35] Kate struggled with eating junk food after the miscarriage, which Toby noticed when a trash bag broke.[2]

text: Kate had said that her father's death was her fault,[28] and has a fear of caring for dogs.[31] (Jack went back inside their burning house to save her dog, causing smoke inhalation which led to his death in the hospital. Afterwards, Kate wanted to give away the dog.)[3] She blames herself even though Rebecca told Kate after Jack's funeral not to blame herself, because Jack made his own decisions.[9] Every year on Super Bowl Sunday, Kate would watch the videotape Jack made of her singing for a Berklee College of Music audition.[3]

text: Randall Pearson[edit]

text: Randall Kenneth Pearson (born August 31, 1980), portrayed by Sterling K. Brown (current day), Niles Fitch (ages 15—17), and Lonnie Chavis (ages 8—10), is Jack and Rebecca's (adopted) son, and Kate and Kevin's brother.[4] He is "Number Three" of the "Big Three", being adopted after Kevin and Kate were born.[4] On his 36th birthday, he found his biological father, William, and invited him to his northern New Jersey home.[4]

text: Randall worked at selling commodity futures based on weather patterns, and was shown to be successful and affluent.[11] However, after a nervous breakdown and some time off, he felt that his firm did not appreciate or respect him, and quit.[16][28]

text: On the day that Randall was born, he was dropped off in front of a firehouse by his biological father, William, and then taken to the hospital, where he was adopted by Jack and Rebecca.[4] Jack and Rebecca originally named him Kyle (the name they had intended for their third child, who was stillborn). Taking William's advice, Rebecca decided to give him his own name, naming him after William's favorite poet, Dudley Randall, although she refused to let William see Randall.[4][32] This allowed them to honor both their stillborn son's memory and Randall, rather than essentially replacing one son with the other.

text: At age nine, Randall’s teacher informed Jack and Rebecca that Randall was a gifted child who was not being challenged enough at his current school. They decided to remove him from public school and send him to Hanes Academy.[11] In high school Randall played football, wearing number 36.[22]

text: Randall and Kevin had an estranged relationship and didn't reconnect until they were 36 years old. At some points, Kevin openly despised Randall.[14] At a high school football game, where they played on opposing teams, they got in a fight.[22] However, there were also some moments when they acted like brothers.[5] When they were teenagers, Kevin was there with Kate to comfort Randall when a woman claimed to be his birth mother as a scam to get money.[29] When they were 36, they got in a fight on the street in New York, but Kevin told onlookers they were brothers.[22] When Randall had his nervous breakdown, Kevin left the theater—when opening day was about to start—to comfort Randall.[16]

text: As an adult, Kevin was hurt that Randall didn't seem to care about his acting career.[22] They began to reconnect when Kevin needed Randall's advice, but Randall coldly told him he shouldn't care what he thinks. Eventually, Kevin moved to Randall's house in New Jersey, but they still had some work to do on building their relationship.[26] He loves Thanksgiving and has his family recreate a specific childhood Thanksgiving every year, including a 3.4 mile hike, watching Police Academy 3: Back in Training, and imitating a hotel owner known as "Pilgrim Rick".[33]

text: In season 2, Randall wanted to adopt a baby (to honor his father's legacy), but decided (with Beth's input) to foster an older child who may need help.[7][19] They fostered a 12-year old girl named Deja, whose mother Shauna was incarcerated. She showed signs of physical abuse, but Randall and Beth started to win her trust and get her to open up.[29][34][5] When the charges against Shauna were dropped, Deja went back home with her (over Randall's initial objections). Randall and Beth planned to try fostering again after some time.[8]

text: Beth Pearson[edit]

text: Beth Pearson, portrayed by Susan Kelechi Watson, is Randall's wife, whom he met in college and later married, circa 1999. The couple has two daughters, Annie and Tess.[14] Their marriage is based on honesty where they make an effort not to have secrets from one another. William revealed to Beth that he had met and communicated with Rebecca. This caused Beth to give Rebecca an ultimatum: to either tell Randall or she would. Growing up, Beth lived in a three-bedroom house with 14 other people.[22] After Randall quit his job, Beth took a job so Randall could be a stay-at-home dad.[19] But after a while, Beth thought Randall was in "outer space", and Beth thought working again would be good for Randall.[12]

text: When Annie's pet lizard "Mr. McGiggles" went missing during a Super Bowl Party, she accidentally stepped on him, killing him.[3]

text: Toby Damon[edit]

text: Toby Damon, portrayed by Chris Sullivan is Kate's fiancé[6] Toby was born in Palm Springs, California.[6] Toby began dating Kate after they met at a weight-loss support group.[4] Toby is confident with his own body although obese, and encourages Kate to have better self-esteem. He was previously married to a woman whom Kate views as beautiful and successful, but who treated him badly. Toby gained 90 pounds in the first year after his divorce.[26]

text: Refusing to take Kate's hesitance about the relationship lightly, Toby has continually come up with sweet gestures to win her over.[32] In the beginning, he felt that he had to compete with Kevin for Kate's attention.[32] Despite breaking his weight-loss goals, Toby decided dieting was not for him and went off his diet, resulting in Kate breaking up with him.[13] He surprised Kate by showing up at Randall's house for Christmas Eve, stating that he could live without pizza and junk food, but that he could not live without her.[27] On Christmas Eve, Toby collapsed and ended up in the hospital with an arrhythmia.[27]

text: After Toby's heart surgery, he and Kate decided to get engaged.[6] Kate became pregnant with Toby's child, but she miscarried; afterwards, despite an initial struggle in their relationship, Toby came through for her.[34][35] Kate, around the 20th anniversary of Jack's death, told Toby he strengthens her and Jack would have loved him.[3]

text: William Hill[edit]

text: William H. "Shakespeare" Hill (died 2017), portrayed by Ron Cephas Jones (recent days) and Jermel Nakia (as a young adult), was Randall's biological father.[32]

text: William was a recovering drug addict who was suffering from terminal stage-four stomach cancer in the present.[26] He grew up in Memphis,[18] and after his mother moved to Pittsburgh he stayed in Memphis to play in his cousin Ricky's band, where he played piano, wrote, and sang.[36] William left the band, with the intention of returning, to care for his dying mother. However, after meeting Randall's mother and becoming a drug addict, he never returned.[36] He got clean after he thought he saw a monkey on the streets, realizing that nothing good comes from a person being on the street at 3:30 am. (He also stayed clean for years after being told by a judge, who offered to help him after his first conviction, to picture the judge's face when he was tempted to do the wrong thing.)[30] William returned to Philadelphia to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, hoping to find and reconnect with his former lover—a man named Jessie.[27]

text: William, who was bisexual, and Jesse never officially broke up. Jessie assumed William had died when he vanished one night—the night William moved in with Randall's family.[27]

text: After leaving Randall at the firehouse, he waited outside the hospital to see him being taken home by Jack and Rebecca. Rebecca realized that William was Randall's father, after seeing him getting onto the bus as she left the hospital. She eventually tracked him down,[14] a secret she kept from everyone, including Randall and Jack.[13]

text: William always wanted to have a relationship with his child,[13] but promised Rebecca he would stay away for Randall's benefit.[32] He accidentally revealed this secret to Beth one night when they got high together,[22] and Randall accidentally found out himself, when he found a letter and photo in William's apartment, from Rebecca, while looking for cassette tapes.[33] (William also told Randall about the second time William saw Rebecca; he took a cab to follow her home, hoping he could be in Randall's life, but when he was outside the house, he thought better of it.)[8]

text: William eventually succumbed to his cancer during a road trip back to Memphis with Randall.[36] Prior to his death he left a letter to Randall's girls, asking them to plan a fun memorial for him. He also sent Beth a postcard from Memphis, saying goodbye and calling her the daughter he never had.[28]

text: Miguel Rivas[edit]

text: Miguel Rivas, portrayed by Jon Huertas, was Jack's best friend and is Rebecca's second husband. Miguel was originally married to Shelly, before they divorced.[24] While it originally seemed that his marriage to Rebecca happened shortly after Jack's death, in season 2 it is clarified that the two did not get together until at least ten years after Jack's passing.[23][2] Miguel was initially disliked by Kevin, until Miguel told Kevin how much he is like his father.[16]

text: Miguel told Beth and Toby one day, when Kevin in rehab was meeting with "immediate family", that he felt like a real outsider compared to them and the Pearson family.[2] When Kevin got out of rehab and stayed with Rebecca, Miguel was protective of her after she was hurt by Kevin's arrest, and by Kevin criticizing her in his rehab session with the family.[12] Kevin asked Miguel if he was in love with Rebecca when Jack was alive; Miguel said that idea never occurred to him because everyone saw Jack and Rebecca as one entity rather than two separate individuals. But he stated that he loves Rebecca now, and is not going anywhere.[12]

text: Sophie[edit]

text: Sophie, portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge (modern day), Amanda Leighton (ages 15-17), and Sophia Coto (age 10), was Kate's childhood best friend and Kevin's childhood love and his ex-wife. Kevin moved to New York and reconciled with her, after his relationships with Olivia and Sloane ended.[18][28] Their relationship initially survived the distance when Kevin was in his movie in L.A., but Kevin broke up with Sophie, admitting that he couldn't be the man that he wanted to be for her.[30] When Kevin got sober, he tried making amends to Sophie; she just wanted to remember Kevin when they were younger.[3]

text: Tess Pearson[edit]

text: Tess Pearson, portrayed by Eris Baker, is Randall and Beth's older daughter. She was promoted to series regular in season two.[37] She was named after the Tessana ceiling fan Randall was going to purchase when hearing about Beth going into labor.[23] Although not noticed acting out previously, she hid in her uncle Kevin's car (claiming she hates it at her house), when he was pulled over for speeding and charged with DUI;[8] she later claimed she was just unhappy that Deja, the foster child, had to go home.[2] Tess admitted one day (on the 20th anniversary of Jack's death) she had tried to prevent social workers from calling, worried that recent changes meant Randall wanted a "new life"; Randall reassured her that he would always be devoted to her.[3] Tess is shown in the future as an adult, working as a social worker, with an older Randall meeting her for dinner like they have done while Tess was younger.[3]

text: Annie Pearson[edit]

text: Annie Pearson, portrayed by Faithe Herman, is Randall and Beth's younger daughter. She was also promoted to series regular in season two.[37] On William's first night at Randall's family's house, when William wanted to step out, Annie convinced William that he might be happy if he stayed. [29]

text: Recurring characters[edit]

text: Introduced in season one[edit]

text: Gerald McRaney as Dr. Nathan Katowski (aka "Dr. K"): The obstetrician who delivered Kate and Kevin.

text: Janet Montgomery as Olivia Maine: a theatre actress, Kevin's former stage partner and ex-girlfriend.

text: Milana Vayntrub as Sloane Sandburg: Kevin's stage partner and ex-girlfriend.

text: Ryan Michelle Bathe as Yvette: A family friend of the Pearsons.

text: Denis O'Hare as Jessie: William's friend and former lover.[27][6]

text: Adam Bartley as Duke: The stable worker at the weight-loss camp Kate attended.

text: Jill Johnson as Laurie: A member of Toby and Kate's weight-loss support group.[4]

text: Peter Onorati as Stanley Pearson: Jack's father.

text: Hari Dhillon as Sanjay Jahiri: Randall's newer former coworker.

text: Caitlin Thompson as Madison: Member of Toby and Kate's support group.

text: Introduced in season two[edit]

text: Lyric Ross as Deja: Randall and Beth's foster child while her mother was incarcerated.[39]

text: Guest stars[edit]

text: The following is a supplementary list of guest stars, some recurring, who appear in lesser roles. The characters are listed, in alphabetical order by actor, by the season in which they first appeared.

text: Introduced in season one[edit]

text:
Susan Blakely as Anne: Dr. K, a widower, dates and marries Anne.[38][9]
Katie Couric as herself: Kevin had a recurring dream about an interview by Katie Couric going badly.[16]
Wynn Everett as Shelly: Shelly was Miguel's first wife until their divorce.[24]
Brad Garrett as Wes Manning: Wes was the television network president tasked with negotiating Kevin's exit from The Manny.[14]
Jami Gertz as Marin Rosenthal: Marin hired Kate to be an event coordinator.[11]
Ron Howard as himself: After Howard saw Kevin's play, he called Kevin to praise his performance and offered to send him a script for a new movie he was producing.[28]
Mario Lopez as himself: Lopez was hosting a talk show discussing Kevin's on-set meltdown.[4]
Seth Meyers as himself: Meyers saw Kevin and Randall fighting on a New York City sidewalk and approached the pair, recognizing Kevin as a showbiz colleague.[22]
Elizabeth Perkins as Janet Malone: Rebecca's overbearing mother.
Katey Sagal as Lanie Schulz: Kevin's Hollywood agent.[14]
Jimmi Simpson as Andy Fannan: Andy was a co-worker whom Randall talked out of committing suicide on Christmas Eve.[27]
Alan Thicke as himself: Thicke was guest-starring on The Manny when Kevin had his on-set meltdown.[4]

text: Introduced in season two[edit]

text:
Kate Burton as Barbara: Psychologist at Kevin's rehab who facilitates his meeting with the family.[40]
Garrett Morris as Lloyd: A resident living in William's old apartment building.[41]
Debra Jo Rupp as Linda: A social worker who worked with Randall and Beth Pearson when they fostered Deja.[42]
Sylvester Stallone as himself: Actor in a movie Kevin was cast in.[43]